Tacos for Easter

Holla Familia,

Last P-day was awesome! We had a zone p-day and had a BBQ. It was super fun. The Elders had borrowed a coal grill from a member, and well... They didn't really know how to use it ha,ha. Some of our hamburgers were still a little pink in the middle and completely burned on the outside, but hey it's the thought that counts right? We then went outside and played volleyball. Super fun! Only some of the Elders were... well... Elders. They can be a little dorky sometimes. It was a great P-day though, it was so nice to get some exercise in. I popped the veins in both of my wrists this time. That seems to happen every time I play Volleyball. So yeah my wrists were pretty cool looking all big black and green. Now they are back to looking normal. 

This week has been pretty interesting. We pretty much have no investigators, and things have been pretty difficult. I decided that it would be worth knocking on 1000 doors to find one person who is interested in the Gospel. So we went tracting a little this week at the end to give it a go, and well Sister Maddox had a pretty good idea: we were going to say who we were and then say we wanted to share our favorite scripture about Christ with them. Well... We knocked on about 50 doors and probably 20 people answered the door and all of them said they were too busy, or not interested, or they already had a church. So telling people you would like to read a scripture about Christ didn't work out too well. It's interesting, they all claim to be Christian, but they don't have time to hear a message about Christ. so definitely need better tracting approaches to peoples doors. 

So I'm not sure if I told you guys yet but Mother Theresa is in our ward. Well a mormon version of her ha,ha. Sister Passic is one of the Sweetest ladies I have ever met. She has the same concerns and such as we all do , but she is literally willing to give all she has to other people. Brother Passic is just as equally awesome. They are the most Charitable, loving people I have met. We went to dinner with Sister Passic this week and as we were leaving it was getting a bit chilly and we didn't have any coats and Sister Passic asked us how much longer we were going to be outside and we told her for only another hour or so. She tried to give us her coat! It was only like 60ish degrees outside with a little wind, we weren't going to die from being cold. Anywho, she literally does that for us missionaries. She is a Mother for all of us away from home. I wish the Passics were at church more often, they are both in the Stake so they travel every single week. They would be such awesome help in the ward. 

So Easter!! Oh my goodness how much I have loved this Easter! I missed the family tradition of things, but I had the opportunity to really think and ponder about the Savior this week. On what He really did for us. All the churches around here are so different and they all celebrate it in a different way. For dinner we went to a members house the Hausmans they are pretty awesome - they made us taco's for dinner and it was interesting because taco's aren't the most regular Easter dinner, and it wasn't normal for them either so it was a completely unique dinner. Anywho they had two friends that they invited Emily and Melissa they were both pretty cool. Melissa made this awesome cake, and Emily was just funny. Emily told us about this thing called Lent out here (which Kelly W. had already told me about) it is where they give up something for 40 days in remembrance of the savior, but the thing is they can go back to the thing they gave up after the 40 days - the day after Easter. Soooo to me it's like: "yeah I'm going to give this up for the Savior! yeah! then the day after his Resurrection. Yeah COFFEE!!! I Missed you so much!!!" oh really? I'm so glad you are still thinking about the Savior right after the celebration of his Resurrection! Lent is pretty cool, but it shouldn't be something we just do for a short time, it should be something we do for a lifetime, and when we look at that thing we gave up we would always remember the Savior. He gave up everything for us, can't we give something up that isn't really worth doing to come closer to the Savior? Putting things on the Altar to come closer to the Savior. 

We have been sharing a message with pretty much everyone we have met: 

Alma 7:11-13 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Then from the talk Where Can I Turn For Peace April 2013 Ensign:

Notice the connection among faith, hope, and peace. This inner peace can be powerful when we have absolute faith and hope in the power of the Savior and His Atonement. He told His disciples: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

No matter how daunting the challenges in our lives or in the world around us, we know we can have peace through the power of the infinite Atonement because Christ overcame the world. Faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement engenders the hope of deliverance and the promise of a better world to come. Using this “eye of faith” (Ether 12:19) to see the fulfilling of the Savior’s promises deepens the peace within us because we know of the great blessings and relief that await us if we will only remain faithful. Even in troubled times we have a great promise of peace from the Lord: “He who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59:23).

We all seek that Eternal Peace and Happiness. It all comes through the Savior. We must learn of him, to understand how this Peace and Happiness is possible. Applying what he did into our lives. Doing what he would Do. Loving as he would Love. Giving as he would Give. 

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be on a mission. It is one of the most difficult things I have done in my life, but it has also been the most rewarding and spiritually strengthening things I have ever done as well. Continue forward in patience, in faith, in hope. All things will work out in the end if we remain true and faithful. That is the promise we have. Not to only Endure to the end, but to endure it well. That is the hard part. But through the Savior all things are possible. 

I love you all!

Loves,

Sister Karen Call

Random - and Short

Holla Familia, 

Sorry this letter is going to be a short one!!! 

We had Zone Meeting this week along with Interviews with President. Which are is an awesome combination, unless you are having your interview and you pretty much miss all of the Zone Meeting. This is the Last interview that we will be having with President Pitt. They will be leaving in June and the new one will be coming in. Which has all of us missionaries a little worried. But President Pitt said not to worry, when he comes we will be the Perfect Mission. When he gets here we all get a second chance, I guess you could say, to become perfect from the beginning. President Pitt has been such a sweet man, and so loving  He works us through our problems, and does it in a loving manner. I'm going to miss him when he is gone. But no worries. He lives in Utah, so when I get home I will probably, most definitely go and visit him. 

My mind has been in a kinda funk this week - worse than it is when I am getting ready for Finals in school. That feeling of AH man I'm going to fail all of my Finals and I'm not really sure why, or how, or what. But somehow it's going to happen. So yeah talk about a week of strangeness. We got some work done, we met several new people, but I don't know why this week was so Long, but it flew by so quickly!!! 

This Saturday we had an Easter Activity with the Ward and it was awesome, our investigator Tiffany couldn't come, but we were able to get her kids to come!! They were bouncing off the walls and were going crazy, but they are the cutest kids ever. The Henke family was really awesome and went and picked them up, and brought them. The Henke family is the BEST!! 

Well I guess one thing I was thinking about during studies this week. I was reading a talk by Elder Hales about recognizing the Spirit. But there was a part in it about the love of God. As I read it, it said "God loves each and everyone of us the same." My first reaction was 'great, I feel super loved, totally out of the norm' in a sarcastic, I'm no better than the next joe down the street. Then I thought about it a little more. If God loves each of us the same, all of his Spirit Children. I just turned my thoughts to the Savior and how much he loves everyone. How much God loved Him. Then BAM! Christ knew his divine potential, his divine heritage. He knew the love of God and it was easy for him to identify it in his life. That love is open for us we just need to accept it and not doubt it and we can have it in our lives! HOW AWESOME is that! it's our mortal flesh and thoughts that keep us back from believing, we doubt our faith.    This probably doesn't make much sense to y'all but hey I thought it was pretty neat. 

Well I love you all. I hope you have an AWESOME Easter Week and that this Easter Weekend will be awesome! The Savior did so much for us, let us make sure we do so much more for those around us! 

Loves, 

Sister Karen Call

"Never make someone have to choose between your ways and the Lords ways. Always make sure that you're making it easier to live God's Commandments for those who are by your side and who are your friends. Then you will Understand if you have Charity."

Only a Stone's Cast

Holla Familias,

So my companion is Awesome just sayin. Anywho her dad is in MOTAB!!!! HOW COOL IS THAT!!! So we saw him on TV. ha,ha and we also found out that Sister Shetselaar's son is also in Motab and Sister Maddox knows him too!! So that was pretty cool. Anywho, so yeah musical talents come from this familia. 

I have thought a lot about the talk "And Nothing Shall Offend Them" 

A part from it: "Let me make sure I understand what has happened to you. Because someone at church offended you, you have not been blessed by the ordinance of the sacrament. You have withdrawn yourself from the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because someone at church offended you, you have cut yourself off from the priesthood ordinances and the holy temple. You have discontinued your opportunity to serve others and to learn and grow. And you are leaving barriers that will impede the spiritual progress of your children, your children's children, and the generations that will follow. Many times people would think for a moment and then respond: I have never thought about it that way." 

It isn't just for people who have been offended by people, but by doctrine, and for those who are just "too lazy" to go to church, they aren't "worthy" to go to church yet, so on and so forth! My goodness! The Doctrine is not wrong, it is the understanding of it that is off. Somethings need better explanation, no one really means to offend someone with the Truth. Just how we word it can come out wrong. But in all reality the person who needs to come back needs a Broken and Contrite Heart, or a better explanation won't even do. Desire to change. You can't squeeze someone into the Gospel, It doesn't work. We all ask the question how do we help others come back. Do you know what the answer is? Love. Love of God. When we Love God we are able to open up to different revelation to what we need to do. When we start to understand God's love for us and for him, we will learn how to love others more fully.  

Why would we deny ourselves of such awesome blessings? Well, I know. Because we don't know or understand the blessings, or what the Lord wants from us. It is a lack of knowledge - and that is it. We can't do something or expect something we have no idea about, or have a desire for it if we don't know it exists. 

Another Cool thing I learned this week, at District Meeting. We went out and Cast a stone to see how far we could throw a it. Because Christ was only a stone cast away from his apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. We then put the stone in our left hand and tried to throw it as far as we could. Then we put all of our study materials for our mission in our right hand and tried to throw with our left hand again. It was really hard to throw that little rock while carrying the study materials and with the left hand. Some were disappointed that they couldn't throw the rock very far "aww man, I'm right handed.. I can't throw it that far... That was a bad throw let me do it again" The lesson from this was this though: When we have our focus on the Gospel, and on learning more of Christ. He will be closer to us. We want to be as close to the Savior as we can. So when we aren't studying or focusing on him, he is farther from us because we can throw our stone farther. Only a Stone's Cast away. Sister Richards comment was funny though "Good thing my first throw was really crappy, It was only like three feet away!" ha. Oh how life gets easier when we have the Savior closer to us in our lives. If we could only all see this in our own lives, and at all times, during thick and thin. 

Well This week was pretty Good! I loved Conference!! Lots about being Courageous, Strong, Loving, and having Faith! 

I think of the Story Elder Holland gave and it helped me re-evaluate what I would do in that situation... I probably wouldn't have reacted in such a calm matter... But now I know better ha,ha. Love all. 

I Loves You, Be good, Pray Always, Go to Church, and Read Your Scriptures. 

Loves,

Sister Karen Call

Jaylene and Jordan's Baptism!! =D

Letter sent to Karen and her companion:

I just wanted to thank you Sisters. You really made an impact in her life. She loves you both to death. She has been happier than I have ever seen her. The baptism went very well. Jaylene and Jordan are so special. I will forever be grateful to be part of their lives. I am humbled that I had the opportunity to teach them I love them both so much. They will be faithful members of the church. In Jordan's confirmation it was stated that he would be an example to his family and that through him, many people would come to the knowledge of the Gospel. We went and saw them later that day. Jaylene said that her mother had ripped her to pieces because Jaylene went through with the baptism. She said that it had hurt her badly and made her very sad. But the next day (Sunday) as she was being confirmed she said she felt a warmth run through her and she received a peaceful feeling and felt like everything would be fine. She and Jordan are both much happier than ever before. You can see it in their faces and you can see it by how they've changed their lives. Thank you for introducing them to the gospel. You planted the seed, we harvested. We couldn't have done it without you!

Love, Sister Stone

From Karen:

"Jaylene and Jordan were the first people I taught on my mission and that's why that picture is important to me :) The Sister Missionaries in the Picture with Jaylene are Sister Stone (blond) and Sister Williams. " 

A Week of Walking

Holla Familia!

So I'm just going to say now. My whole entire body hurts. I am so out of shape... or well I guess my body isn't used to walking for 8-10 hours a day. We ran out of miles this week... I'll just say that Sister Wines and I Splurged a little on miles before Transfers... haha.

Well I got a new companion and she is Awesome! Her name is Sister Maddox! she is from Orem Utah. She has one brother and two sisters. The brother and her oldest sister are married. and her other sister is on a mission in Columbus Ohio! Super close yet so far away! She is the youngest of her family and the shortest. She is like 5'10" Finally a companion that is taller than me!!! yay! 

Well I really enjoyed just walking this past weekend. We didn't get much done, but I got to get to know Sister Maddox pretty well and we got to talk about a lot of things on our extremely long walks. Oh and there are no Sidewalks or crosswalks. I was almost tempted to take a picture of the Sidewalk in front of a church, because it was the only sidewalk for a long while haha. but I didn't... because no one would get why I took a picture of the Sidewalk.. and I would probably forget by the time I looked at it again. So anywho, we have been walking everywhere for the past three days, and I'm kinda really glad tomorrow is the beginning of the month and we get more miles! We did get a ride to the Woman's Relief Society Broadcast and to Church so that was nice not having to walk 8 miles to get to church. I really liked the Broadcast and how much of an emphasis that they put on working together with all age groups. I know that I feel like everything is so separate, that the little kids are to "rowdy, noisy" But there is so much that we can learn from one another and I think we forget that. Yes they may be noisy, but they are also full of energy and they can sometimes focus that energy into something - such as missionary work. Several of the kids in Primary went and gave their friends at school pass along cards. Now how many of us go to work and hand out Pass along cards to those that we know. Yes, there is the excuse of we aren't allowed to "talk about Religion" false, you can talk about religion, but to the other persons interest and conversation. You can't talk to someone about something they have no interest in, but you won't know if they have no interest in it until you start talking to them about it. We won't know what will happen until we do it. So yeah, Go, Fight, Win. and when you are done come and tell me how it went, because I like our chats. 

So another thing that I have been doing this week with my studies that I have so far really liked. I went to the Topical Guide and chose a subject to study - this week it was Faith. and I started going through the Scriptures. But as I went to every scripture I looked at the Footnotes of that scripture and then the footnotes of that scripture, and so forth and so on. Some of them have chains super long leading into different pathways that are still related to Faith that you wouldn't have found in the Topical Guide. It is super fun and I suggest you guys do it too. So for example: 

Matt 8:10. (*And when they that followed him, heard this, they marveled. And* Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.)

 Footnote for Faith goes to 3 Ne17:8 (For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your Faith is sufficient that I should heal you.)

 foot note for Faith in that verse goes to Luke 18:42, (And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.) 

Footnote for Faith goes to D&C 42:48 (And again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death. Shall be healed.) 

and it goes on forever and ever. It's super fun. Just saying. 

But yeah I wanted to learn a little about Faith and being Healed, and I haven't completely found my answer yet, but What I have learned so far is pretty cool. It also helps you to ponder a lot on how this applies to Faith and such. 

Well, I love you all and I hope you have a great week! Prayer, Scripture Study, Temple Work, Happiness!! 

Loves, 

Sister Karen Call

"What if you were to fast from negative or critical or worldly talk? or maybe you could fast from a habit you are trying to change. As you engage in service and the fasting from the behavior that takes you away from the Spirit, you will feel a renewal of the Spirit of the Lord" ~Robert H. Daines

Karen's new companion is Sister Maddox from Orem.

Karen and Sister Allison Wines